An ANU scientist who counts among his achievements improving water efficiency in crops and unravelling a mystery about how rain levels react to climate change wins the Prime Minister's Prize for Science.

Scientists will reanimate a 30,000-year-old giant virus unearthed in the frozen wastelands of Siberia, and warn climate change in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions could awaken dangerous microscopic pathogens thought to be eradicated.

Science journalist Wendy Zukerman talks about the barriers to increasing the number of women in STEM's upper echelons. Research shows women account for half the PhD graduates, but only 17 per cent of senior academics at Australian universities.